Ustad Juman - a legend of Sindhi music

Ustad Mohammad Juman was born in 1935, at Sourh Goth in coastal area near Karachi, with an essence of music right from his birth as his father, Haji Ahmed Sakheerani Baloch, was also a musician. Some music scholars are of the view that Ustad Juman is the third greatest Sindhi musician, while first is Beejal who sung the poetry of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai from 'Shah Jo Risalo and second is Shah of Sindh. He went to Ustad Mubarak Ali to get perfection in singing, who taught him to show his art on Tanpoorah invented by Beejal. Ustad Juman passed his first audition at Radio Pakistan, Karachi, and got recognition as a singer by singing Shah Abdul Latif Bhittais classical poetry. Later, he was offered job there as a flute player. With the existence of Radio Pakistan, Hyderabad in 1955, he, like other Sindhi artistes shifted to Hyderabad in order to promote Sindhi singers and musicians as the radio station was near the residences of Sindhi performers. With Hameed Naseem, he worked at the newly-established radio station as a flute player and panel staff artist. The radio director was got impressed by Ustad Jumans performance and promoted him to music composer under Master Nazar Hussain. Master Nazar drew his attention towards composition. In the meantime, he studied Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai devotedly as a musician, and other material available in Sindhi language on the subject. Later, he proved himself a great musician by performing Raags (music) of Shah Bhittai in a distinct way, which surprised the then musicians. But his music authority can be gauged from a narration mentioned in a book Karoo Vass Kayam by Sauz Halai on his art and personality. Ustad Juman compared the rhythm between Aazan and the Sur by singing some poems in a Mehfil, challenging all the participants if they prove him wrong. He suggested musicians to visit Madina and compare the rhythm. Indeed, Ustad Mohammad Juman has not given us a musical product as Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai and Beejal are known with their inventions, Tanbooro and Tanporah. He has localised great classical music by singing it over with local musical instruments, such as Yaktaro and Chhapri. Ustad Juman opened a new leaf in the musical history by setting Shah Bhittais local and non local Raag together. He was a singer of international stature and had performed in India, Bangladesh, Japan, Australia and other countries, and similarly his performance is not limited to Sindhi; he also sung in Urdu and Seraiki as well and has been felicitated by renowned singers namely Lata Mangeshkar, Noor Jehan, Abida Parveen and others. Former premier Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was fond of Ustad Juman. He used to invite him to beautify his personal gatherings and music Mehfils. Ustad Juman has uncountable programmes on his credit, but he earned some fame through PTV programmes including Sindhi Seengar, Sindh Sadiyun Kha, Latifi Laat, Programme Chehri, Aap Ki Khidmat Me, Neelam Ghar, Meri Pasand, Kasab Kamal and many others. He won several awards including Presidential Award for good performance, Shah Latif Award, Sachal Sarmast Award, PTV Award and others. His prominent students who maintained his grace in the field are Zaib-un-Nisa, Jiji Zarina Baloch, Ali Mohammad, Hussain Bux, Deedar Hussain, Shafi Mohammad Juman. The author has also written some poems, one of them he wrote in Madina during Hajj. The last days of the third great musician and distinguished singer were not different from his mentors and artistes. Usually, singers breathe their last in miseries and without any care on the part of government and so was happened with him. He left this world with smile over his wrinkled face and sparkle in dim eyes.

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